This invention relates to telephone security means, and more particularly to a telephone security clamp for preventing the unauthorized removal of modular telephone equipment.
The use of modular telephone equipment is becoming more prevalent throughout the telephone industry. In using modular equipment, each of the various parts of the telephone apparatus are interconnected to other parts by means of modular telephone jacks which are received in modular sockets. Typically, such modular jacks are standardized whereby alternate telephone equipment can be easily installed into the same modular jacks.
The typical modular jack includes an upwardly projecting tang which locks in a shoulder provided within the socket. The modular jack can be extracted by depressing the tang thereby releasing the jack for removal from the socket. Typically, the removal of the modular telephone jack from a socket is easily accomplished without the need of any equipment and is done in a matter of seconds without hesitation.
While the use of telephone jacks has facilitated the ability of consumers to change telephone equipment by themselves, it has also created a problem concerning the unauthorized removal and pilferage of modular telephone equipment. Since the equipment is so easily removed by simply extracting the modular telephone jack from its socket, an unauthorized individual can easily go over to any type of telephone equipment, release the jack from its socket, and remove the telephone equipment.
Such easy removal of telephone equipment has caused a problem for large institutions where telephones are frequently left unattended without proper protection. These telephones may be in unattended offices, on desks, in lounge areas, or other frequently accessed parts of the institution which cannot always be readily guarded. Unauthorized individuals can remove handsets, instruments, entire telephones, and often more sophisticated equipment which is also connected by means of the standard telephone jack into the telephone socket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,883 describes a lock arrangement for securing the modular telephone instrument. In this patent, there is provided a housing that clamps onto the wire and includes a dummy telephone jack. The actual telephone modular jack is extracted from the socket and the dummy jack on the lock is inserted in its place in the socket. The dummy jack includes a releasable tang which is protectively secured within the lock so that it is unaccessable. In this manner, the lock is secured into the modular socket.
While such a device may be useful in preventing the removal of the unauthorized equipment, at the same time it requires that the telephone instrument be disconnected from the telephone circuitry. The actual telephone jack must be extracted and the dummy jack inserted. Accordingly, while the instrument is maintained secure, the instrument itself becomes useless to authorized personnel. Authorized personnel must therefore open the lock, remove the telephone wire, reinsert the actual telephone jack and only then be able to utilize the instrument. The lock therefore mutually excludes the ability to utilize the instrument, while the instrument is being protected.
Accordingly, there is a need for a security device which will prevent unauthorized removal of the telephone instrument and, at the same time, will not disengage the instrument itself from use by authorized personnel.